Chapter 4 - WHAT MARA RECORDED
Daniel replayed the recording three times.
The man’s voice never changed.
Calm.
Measured.
Powerful.
“Give me the file, Mara.”
Mara answered, “People died.”
“That wasn’t supposed to happen.”
“But it did.”
“You think releasing this fixes anything?”
“It tells the truth.”
A pause.
Then the man said, “Truth is a luxury people like you think everyone can afford.”
Daniel knew that voice.
Victor Stellan.
Sebastian Stellan’s uncle.
Chairman of Stellan Industries.
Victor had attended Mara’s funeral.
He had shaken Daniel’s hand.
He had looked him in the eyes and said, “Your wife was a brave woman.”
Daniel nearly smashed the recorder against the wall.
Instead, he forced himself to listen.
Mara spoke again.
“Claire saw you leave Bellweather.”
“She saw nothing.”
“She saw your car.”
“She was frightened.”
“You threatened her.”
“I reminded her what happens when people confuse loyalty with morality.”
The recording ended.
Daniel stood motionless.
His phone buzzed.
Unknown caller.
“You opened the locker.”
Daniel looked around.
The storage hallway was empty.
“Who is this?”
“You should have left your wife buried.”
The line went dead.
Daniel ran.
Outside, the parking lot was nearly empty.
A man in a gray jacket stood beside Daniel’s truck.
Daniel stopped.
The man smiled.
“You Daniel Mercer?”
“Who’s asking?”
The stranger reached inside his coat.
Daniel moved first.
He grabbed a metal cart and shoved it forward.
The stranger stumbled.
Daniel ran between two cars.
A gunshot cracked.
Glass shattered behind him.
Daniel ducked.
He reached his truck, threw himself inside, and started the engine.
The stranger fired again.
Daniel sped through the gate.
Only when he reached the highway did he realize he was bleeding.
A bullet had grazed his shoulder.
He drove one-handed.
At a red light, he opened Mara’s box again.
There had to be something else.
He pulled the newspaper clippings apart.
A photograph fell from between them.
Victor Stellan.
A young Claire.
And another man.
Daniel recognized him.
Detective Paul Reyes.
The officer who had investigated Mara’s death.
On the back, Mara had written:
THE THREE PEOPLE WHO KNOW.
Below that:
One is scared.
One is guilty.
One is dangerous.
Daniel stared at the words.
His phone rang again.
This time the caller ID showed a name.
Sebastian Stellan.
Daniel had never spoken to him.
He answered.
“Mr. Mercer?”
“Yes.”
“My name is Sebastian Stellan.”
Daniel tightened his grip on the wheel.
“I know who you are.”
“My sister left your wife’s name in my house.”
Daniel almost missed the next light.
Sebastian continued.
“She said a key opens my father’s grave.”
Daniel went silent.
Then he looked at the brass key Mara had left him.
The one from the envelope.
“Mara left me a key too,” he said.
Sebastian whispered, “What does yours open?”
May you like
Daniel stared ahead.
“I think we’re about to find out.”
